In this prequel to the popular Ender science fiction series, Card and Johnston reveal mankind’s first encounter with space aliens during the early mining and industrialization of the solar system. Although this audio edition begins a little slowly, as the narration passes from character to character, the talented cast—which includes Stefan Rudnicki, Stephen Hoye, Arthur Mory, Vikas Adam, Emily Janice Card, Gabrielle de Cuir, and Roxanne Hernandez—easily keeps listeners intrigued with skillful characterizations that feature unique voices, accents, and dialects. And by the time the huge alien ship arrives and the story kicks into high gear, listeners will be utterly captivated by this exciting adventure. A Tor hardcover. (July)